Chapter 43: the Voortrix Temple
Normal POV
The Voortrix looked at the Avalon and Griselda clone hanging next to the deformed monster with shock. They were so sure they defeated it.
"This is bad news." Femke said. "Darkar must be nearby."
"So what's the plan?" Ghazan asked.
"Hoping he won't show up to fight." Femke glanced at the monster. "We have to take cover for now."
"And just let him do what he wants?" Kuvira asked as she looked at Femke.
"We need to think of a plan, don't we?" Ghazan asked while folding his arms.
"Got one?" Ming Hua asked.
"Here's one; DUCK!" Ghazan called as he pushed Ming Hua and Kuvira to the side, making all three of them able to get out of the way just in time to avoid getting squashed by a boulder the monster threw.
"Rude." Ghazan growled as he made a lava disk and fired it at the monster, who caught it with its mouth and squashed it in one try. "Great catcher tho."
"Let's just go." Ming Hua snapped, pulling Ghazan to the side by arm as more boulders flew their way, along with spells cast by the two clones.
"There's no where you can run. Surrender and we might show mercy." The Avalon clone called.
"We have to try something." Femke whispered as Zaheer nodded and looked at Ghazan and Toph.
"I have a plan, can you two whip up a dust cloud?" Zaheer asked, making Ghazan smile as he caught on.
"Easy." Ghazan answered, after which he, Zaheer and Toph created a sandstorm. As they were gone from view, Toph used her earthbending to hide them all underground.
"Where did they go?!" The Avalon clone growled as he looked at the dust beneath them with a scowl on his face.
"Allow me." The Grizelda clone said as she waved her hand and the dust cleared, revealing the Voortrix left.
"No!" Both clones growled as the monster version of Kerborg started to sniff around for the Voortrix to no avail.
"Now what?" The Grizelda clone asked with a worried look. "Our master won't be happy with this."
"Our plan didn't fail yet." The Avalon clone smirked as he watched Kerborg sniff the mountains in search of the Voortrix.
"They have to show themselves at some point. Let's wait for them."
Meanwhile, Team Avatar and the Voortrix walked down a long path the Earthbenders of the group created while the Firebenders lit the way.
"Now what?" Kuvira asked from the back.
"We need a plan to take those three out." Femke answered as she looked up, the fire of her flame reflecting in her eyes.
"Don't you have one yet?" Wu asked a little nervously as he came to walk next to her.
"Not really." Femke admitted with a sheepish smile. "I'm open for suggestions."
"We know what the monster's weak point is. Let's hit it there." Korra brought in as she looked around. "Then we have to deal with those other two."
"What are they anyway? They look human but something's off." Asami asked with a stern look.
"That's because they're clones of two Teachers at Alfea." Femke answered sternly.
"Clones…. As in copies?" Bolin asked.
"Yes, Lord Darkar made copies of the two teacher to trick the Voortrix and Dragon Flame carriers in a fake sense of trust, then lure us into a trap." Femke told sadly. "They failed. We thought Bloom and the Winx club destroyed the Avalon clone while Ilena, Dizanna Selvia and I destroyed the Grizelda clone while fighting for Valtor."
"Valtor?" Ming Hua asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Valtor destroyed a lot of planets up before the Winx defeated him." Femke explained as she showed a few images of him. "Eventually he found out he wasn't created by the Ancestral witches but rather a human boy, changed into a monster."
"Which made him turn to us in the end." Ilene finished with a small smile on her face.
"To Dizzana specifically." Selvia suddenly popped in, making Dizanna turn red.
"Oh shut up!" Dizanna shot back. "He's ten years older and not interested." As she said the last part she looked to the side with a hurt look in her eyes. Femke wrapped an arm around her shoulder.
"My father was ten years older than my mother as well. It doesn't have to be a big obstacle." Femke told her friend with a small smile on her face. "And he's actually kind of into you."
"How can you be so sure?" Dizanna asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Remember that last party at Andriana's?" Femke asked as Dizzanna nodded. "He was looking at you the entire time."
"Why didn't he come over if he did?" The brunette asked.
"I think he was afraid. He never loved before." Femke explained.
"The Ancestral witches didn't touch the subject." Ilene said.
"Why not? Didn't they feel love?" Ikki asked, a little unsure.
"They do." Femke smiled as she looked at Ikki. "But they suppressed it. They probably never tought Valtor about them."
"Didn't work out." Ghazan shrugged.
"Speaking of love. Who asked who? Zaheer or you?" Ikki suddenly asked, making Femke glad it was so dark as she turned red.
"I waited until I talked to P'li.." Femke admitted with a small smile to P'li, who nodded in return.
"You asked her for permission?" Atteritta asked but Korra stepped in.
"Hate to interrupt but I think you want to see this." She said, pointing at a wall. "Look at these inscriptions." Femke followed her gaze, gasping when she saw the inscriptions. She knew them.
"Those are Voortrix runes!" Femke said as she looked from the inscriptions to Korra with shock. "How?"
"What does it say?" Tarrlok asked.
"Give me a minute." Femke muttered as she looked at the text intensely before turning to the group.
"What does it say?" Tarrlok asked.
"This." Femke smiled as she placed her hand on the wall. "Is the outer wall of an old Voortrix temple."
"What!?" Bolin gasped as he looked at Femke with wide eyes.
"What is it doing here?" Mako asked.
"It must have been destroyed and buried over time." Femke replied as she looked at the wall. "Along with the rest of our people."
"Do you think we'll be able to get in?" Zaheer asked as he placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Maybe if we all concentrate on our Voortrix power." Femke answered as she placed her other hand on the wall as well.
"What do you think's inside?" Mako asked as more Voortrix placed their hands on the wall.
"Knowledge. Maybe feria and the others found a way to destroy Darkar or bring Lighthearth back." Femke said as she looked at the wall sadly.
"If they had the knowledge they could have also used it, right?" Opal asked.
"Maybe they did. I don't remember everything Feria did." Femke replied, placing a hand on her forehead as she tried to recall memories of the final battle. Nothing came to her. "They probably failed. That's why we're here."
"To bring Lighthearth back and save the day." Ming Hua nodded with a stern look.
"You think that will happen?" Mako asked. "Maybe the knowledge was destroyed for a reason."
"Not a good reason." Ghazan commented.
"I remember Zhao burning down books to keep the enemy from finding things." Toph remarked with a shrug. "That was pretty smart of him."
"Even if it angered Wan Shi Tong." Femke shuddered at the memory off the spirit librarian.
"Was it that bad?" Ikki asked worriedly.
"It was."
"Last time I saw him he seemed nice enough." Zaheer shrugged before they re-focused their concentration on getting in the temple. "Let's just get inside."
"Good idea." Atteritta nodded as she looked at the temple wall with wide eyes.
"Impressive, isn't it?" P'li asked her aunt as she came up behind her and placed her hand on the older woman's shoulder.
"It is." Atteritta smiled as she looked up. "I'm so happy to be on this adventure."
"Much better than before, right?" P'li asked with a small smile.
"All thanks to you." Atterirta smiled at her before they re-focused their attention on getting into the temple.
"There doesn't seem to be a door." Zaheer remarked as he closely studied the wall.
"Don't need it." Ghazan smirked as he cracked his knuckles.
"Not yet." Femke said as she placed her hand on the wall, closing her eyes as her medallion started to glow.
"There might be a hidden door." Femke looked up at the others. "Let's try together." All the Voortrix walked to the wall.
Except Kuvira. She stayed in the back.
"Come on, Kuvira! You're part of the team." Femke tried.
"We could use a hand." Toph added.
"What should I do?" Kuvira asked as she got next to Femke and also placed her hand on the wall. "I don't know how my magic work."
"Close your eyes. Concentrate on the Voortrix power inside you." Femke instructed, which Kuvira did, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. "Try and see if you can call up the magic hidden within."
"The magic hidden within?" Kuvira wondered as she held her chest. Magic? Her? No.
'You are Kiara. You are a Voortrix.' The voice in her head called as her medallion started to glow, making Kuvira gasp. 'From now until the end of time, we're bound together.'
As Kuvira placed her hands on the wall, the ancient texts started to glow;
The Dark One has risen again
The twelve Beings of Light shall rise with him
Darkness will clash with Light
Disorder will try to swallow hope
Yet an act of true love for the world shall make light prevail
After this, a loud, unearthly tremble started and suddenly, a piece of the wall opened with a loud 'clank'.
"I suppose that works." Ghazan remarked as he looked at the gap in the wall.
"Let's just get in." Ming Hua said. Jinora moved to the door first, followed by Ikki and Atteritta.
"Its dark inside." Ikki remarked, shivering a little. Lin walked past the kids and into the temple.
"It's safe." She assured them after taking a few steps, stomping her foot on the ground to make sure nothing dangerous was ahead. At this Ikki walked further in, while Jinora stayed at the entrance, shivering.
"I can feel negative energy coming from inside." The young master said as she looked at Femke. "Something's not right."
"Can you sense what it is?" Femke asked with a worried look while other people walked in as well.
"Whatever it is, it means us harm." Jinora said.
"We'll be careful, but we have to look." Femke said with a solemn voice.
"I don't see anything dangerous." Tziza remarked after a while. The flame in her hand cast strange shadows on the wall behind her.
"Let's split up and have a look around. We meet back here in one hour. If anyone runs into trouble, just bend." Femke said with a firm look on her face as everyone nodded. Before any of them could move out there was a gust of wind, and when they turned around a giant owl swooped down. Femke got behind Zaheer, who took a defensive stance, despite his crutches.
"Do not be alarmed." The creature spoke with a deep voice as it looked over the group sternly. "I am not the one you think I am."
"You're not Wan Shi Tong?" Femke asked from behind Zaheer, her voice high pitched.
"No. I am Shong Ti Do. The Voortrix Temple Keeper." The owl spoke up, raising one wing. "The one you met before is my brother." Femke came from behind Zaheer and looked at the owl with a small smile.
"I'm Femke, the reincarnation of Feria and these are the other Voortrix" Femke said as she pointed at her friends standing with her. "As well as the Avatar and many other friends."
"You're most welcome, young Voortrix. It's also a pleasure to finally meet the Avatar" Shong Ti Do bowed slightly, which Korra returned.
"Despite what your past life did to my brother." With these words, the owl stretched out its neck and poked its face against Korra's, who looked at him nervously.
"Yeah. I'm really sorry about that." Korra said as she looked down. "My past life had no right to lie about what he came for."
"I know he used deceit, but he taught it was the only way to gain the knowledge he needed." Femke brought up. "I know lying was wrong and how much being lied to hurts."
"I know my brother's morality can be somewhat… inhuman. But that's because he is. And so am I. I do try to understand, though." Wan Tong To remarked before he turned around.
"I hope so. I had nightmares for weeks." Femke remarked.
"What's done is done young Voortrix. I will help you on your journey to become Protector Fairies" Wan Tong To remarked, pointing into his study with one wing.
"Have you been living here underground all this time?" Korra asked as she looked around the ruins of the temple with awe.
"I have been here since the end." Shong Ti do replied solemnly. "Watching the world change from inside the safety of the temple, waiting for the new Voortrix to come find me."
"Why didn't you try to call us?" Femke asked.
"I'm not strong enough." Wan Tong To simply explained.
"That must have been very lonely." Atteritta said empathetically. "Waiting for someone to come."
"Not always. My brother's knowledge seekers often come by, bringing me knowledge from my brother's collection." The owl remarked before turning around. "But enough about me. You're here to regain the past, right?"
"We were hoping to find something here." Femke started carefully, trying not to upset the Spirit.
"No need to be cautious." The owl said as he looked up. "I am nothing like my brother What is it you seek?"
"A spell that can help us either change Darkar back in Lightheart or defeat him for good." Femke carefully said. "As long as the world is saved."
"You still think there's good in him?" Wan Ting To remarked while he rearanged some of his books. "You still think he can be saved?"
"Can't he?" Zaheer asked as he placed a hand on Femke's shoulder. "That's why were here." Wan Tong To looked up by twisting his neck like the owl he was, making Femke gulp.
"Before anything, the chosen one has to finish their training, earning the power of Balance." He said, getting a book from the top shelve and opening it.
"Chosen one?" Ming Hua asked. "Who's that supposed to be?"
"Korra?" Ghazan asked as she looked at her, who shrugged in return.
"No. I am talking about the one true heir to Voorfield. The son of the Voortrix leader and the Voorfieldian survivor." Wan Tong To explained, pointing at the opened book, showing only a handful of survivors of Voorfield, including a man with white hair that he wore in a low ponytail with a red band in it. Femke gulped.
Dylan.
"He died years ago." Toph said sadly. "Soon after our father was killed"
"Are you sure?" Wan Tong To asked, returning a few pages, showing images of the showoff in Clockwork's workshop.
"This isn't the first time something wasn't as it seemed."
"Not the first time?" Kuvira asked, making Wan Tong To notice her. His eyes narrowed.
"Who wants to know? Kiara? Or the Great Uniter?" Wan Tong To looked at Kuvira firmly as she took a step back in fear.
"Kuvira is one of us. She's a Voortrix" Femke said as she stepped in front of Kuvira.
"That doesn't erase what she did. Who she hurt." Wan Tong To calmly rebuked.
"None of us are clean in that regard." Femke said, looking around. "But we're trying to do better. To make up for what we did." Korra and Mako shared a surprised look behind Femke while Toph nodded with a proud smirk on her face.
"You are very wise, young Feria. But the former Uniter cannot enter the library. The Spirits of the temple have not yet forgiven her for what she did to their homes" Wan Tong To said with a stern look.
"I'll stay with her." Su stated firmly as Femke nodded.
"Be careful." She said.
"Don't worry, we'll be fine." Su smiled before she and Kuvira left the temple as the others followed Wan Tong To inside.
"What do you want to show us?" Allerys asked as she walked next to the giant owl spirit, looking up at him.
"We're going to one of the oldest books that survived the fall of Voorfield." Wan Tong To replied. "Containing the knowledge the Voortrix need to become fairy warriors and your only hope to defeat Darkar."
"Like the Book of Fairies Femke told about?" P'li asked.
"Yes. This book contains different spells and Fairy Forms, more equipped for your tasks." Wan Tong To replied as they entered a large room that was lavishly decorated. "This book contains only Voortrix spells and Transformations."
"Like Elementix." Femke realized.
"Indeed" Wan Tong To said with a nod.
"We'll finally be able to take a shot at those shadow monsters." Ghazan said.
"And bring Lightheart back." Femke reminded him.
"Just looking forward to not getting killed anymore." Ghazan smirked.
"Where's Zaheer." Allerys asked as she looked around.
"I'll go get him." Femke smiled, before she walked back into the main part of the library.
'This library is massive.' Went through Zaheer's mind as he looked around. The temple was very steep, he didn't even see the bottom floor when he looked down. There were rooms full of books left and right as well as rooms for only one book with a lot of trinkets standing around them.
"This place still looks perfect after centuries." P'li said as she looked around while Ghazan took a random book from the shelf, quickly closing it again when it started to scream.
"We're not here to cause a scene." P'li told Ghazan firmly as they tried to catch up with the others. Zaheer smiled as he heard his girlfriend call him.
"Zaheer! Are you okay?" Femke asked as she approached him.
"I'm fine. Just not as spry as I used to be." The airbender smiled as he held up a crutch. Femke smiled.
"Wan Tong To wants to show us something important." Femke said as she looked at Zaheer sadly. "I still don't really feel safe around him."
"You're scared?" Zaheer asked.
"Kind of." Femke admitted sadly. "I keep thinking about the time Wan Shi Tong sank the library."
"He was angry because you wanted to use his knowledge for fighting." Zaheer said before looking up at the high roof. "But we're not there. You don't have to be afraid."
"I know, but still… " Femke looked away. "I have the feeling Wan Tong To is keeping things from us."
"That could go either way." Zaheer commented before gently taking Femke's hand and heading back to the others.
"What's keeping them?" Ming Hua asked while Xai Bau sat down with a book in his lap.
"They'll come. Unless they got lost." Xai Bau replied as he looked up from his book.
"And that doesn't worry you?" Ming Hua asked with a raised eyebrow.
"They'll be here soon enough." Xai Bau calmly said before he looked back at his book, making Ming Hua sigh in frustration.
"Is this Voorfield?!" Came a cry from the other side off the room, making Ilene, Dizanna and Selvia walk over. They found Atteritta and Allerys in front of a huge painting of an old village.
"That is Voorfield village before it was destroyed." Ilena smiled as she placed a hand on the side of the painting.
"It looks so serene." Atteritta commented.
"It was. Before Darkar tore it down." Dizanna sighed, looking at the text beneath the painting;
Beware of too much darkness
Beware of too much light
Balance them to set things right.
Tong
"Everyone! Have a look at this!" Ilene called out.
"Is that the family name or something?" Ghazan asked.
"Or the same name for the same being." Xai Bau said. "Maybe they're one and the same." Dizanna nodded before she walked up to the next portrait and cleared the dust, revealing a massive owl with four wings and eight eyes, looking over an orb.
"What is that?" Ghazan asked. Xai Bau gently ran a hand over the portrait. "Tong the Scribe. I figured they were just a myth."
"Myth?" Tenzin asked.
"They tried to uncover the mysteries of Death but that led them to an artifact so powerful that it split his soul in half when he tried to touch it." Xai Bau said as he looked at Tenzin. "He managed to destroy the artifact but at the cost of his soul."
"Why didn't we ever hear of him?" Jinora asked.
"He was a scribe of Voortrix. I came across some of his legacy by accident." Xai Bau opened his bag and took out a thick book with a red marking on the front and back that looked similar to the Red Lotus symbol but with a blue part in the middle. "They say that these days, one part is constantly seeking for knowledge while the other patiently awaits the return of the Voortrix."
"I see you're well-informed." Wan Tong To suddenly said as he popped up behind the group. "I can tell you, such artifact does not exist"
"Then what split your soul? Did that even happen?" Ilena asked as she looked at him sadly.
"The story is partly true. My soul was split but not by any artifact." Wan Tong To said, as he started to tell his tale.
"How long is this going to take?" Kuvira asked after a while of her and Su standing around the entrance.
"As long as they have to." Su snapped back, not feeling like talking to Kuvira after all she did. She was only here to keep an eye on her.
"This is getting boring." Kuvira said as she crossed her arms.
"It's your own fault for angering the spirits." Su snapped, still refusing to look Kuvira in the eyes.
"How many times do I have to apologize for that?" Kuvira said with frustration as she looked at Su.
"There's a difference between saying you're sorry and actually being sorry." Su said sadly. "Junior is so full of regret it's eating away at him. You just want people to stop being angry at you." Su looked Kuvira in the eyes. "So you better step up or I will make you regret even trying."
"Don't worry, I will." Kuvira answered with a stern voice. A loud rumbling sound was heard as a monster appeared out of nowhere. Su bended the metal from her suit at the monster to keep it at bay. The monster was not very impressed and easily smacked Su to the side.
"We don't have time for this." Kuvira called as she bended as much earth at the monster as she could to slow it down. Su collapsed parts of the tunnel from her sitting position before she got up.
"Can you walk?" Kuvira asked worriedly as she looked at Su.
"I'll be fine." Su replied before using a rock slide to move Kuvira to the side as the monster tried to grab her.
"Go warn the others!" Kuvira called as she used her Earthbending to collapse more of the tunnel to make it harder for the monster to reach them.
"I am not…!" Su started, but stopped as Kuvira looked at her firmly.
"Go! I'll hold it off!" Kuvira called before she turned back to face the monster as Su dashed to the entrance, looking back at Kuvira fighting the monster one last time before she closed the entrance behind her.
"You know how Voorfield was ruined?" Wan Tong To asked as he turned the first page of the book were the shadows started to show how Voorfield was ruined.
"Daniel Sato told us before he passed away." Femke replied sadly.
"I met your late fiancé when he was but a teenager." Wan Tong To remarked, covering his beak with a wing as he did so. "He was wise for his age and a good friend. It's sad to know he passed on but his love and legacy live on with you and young Feria."
"True." Femke smiled, looking at Toph who did so as well.
"Your Daughter inherited the Voortrix energy and became the Voortrix of Earthbending but all off your children inherited a part of the Voortrix. Both of their parents had the energy within them. It's still shining brightly." Wan Tong To said as he turned the pages. "Toph. The greatest Earth Bender. While kept down by her adoptive parents, they and her real parents truly loved her." Wan Tong To said as the shadows showed Toph "I also see a boy, consumed by greed. He wants to be rich and powerful, but he forgets the true meaning of power."
The shadows now showed a man with white hair carrying large bags of money into his penthouse where he started to count it. His mother tried to explain he was special even without all that money. The shadows showed the huge argument Femke and her son had had before he turned his back on her.
"A lot of time has passed, young one. The boy has grown and learned that humility is far more becoming of a Voortrix. When he will return, his family will help him and he will become not only powerful but also wise, stepping in his fathers footstep's and becoming a guide for Voortrix to come. And last, I see a boy in chains, hidden away in a deep dungeon, believed dead. Yet he never lost Faith that he will be rescued."
The shadows showed a dungeon and a boy with white hair and black clothing in chains. He looked emaciated and exhausted but still determined to stay alive. "His Voortrix is the brightest of them all. When freed, he will be our new leader." Femke looked at the book with tears in her eyes.
"Does that mean Femke's youngest son is alive?" Ghazan asked.
"Are you alright?" P'li asked Femke, who had tears in her eyes, with a worried look as she placed a hand on her shoulder.
"He can't be. I held him when he died." Femke stammered as she looked at her friend tearfully.
"Darkar deceived you before." Wang Tong To said as he looked at Femke and P'li sternly.
"Clones." Zaheer realized as he looked at Femke with shock.
"He sure likes using them." Ghazan said.
"The Dylan you saw might have been a clone." Korra said as she looked at Femke sadly.
"Dylan…." Femke and Toph both whispered. Femke looked up when she saw a boulder launch from the entrance.
"Shit!" Femke cursed before she took Zaheer around the waist and dashed towards the boulder with Korra and the others right behind her, towards where Su and Kuvira were facing off against whom she recognized as Kerborg.
Darkar was on their tale…
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A/N:
And with that I end this chapter! Sorry it took me a while to write. I'm seriously busy with work and have a serious writers block.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the story. please thank Paranoidgirl for doing such a amazing job at beta reading and advising. maybe check out her stories as well? I can assure you their worth it!
Please leave a review.